The locust plague and its suppression / by Æneas Munro.

  • Munro, Aeneas.
Date:
[1899]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The locust plague and its suppression / by Æneas Munro. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    38/388 (page 14)
    *4 of course, any description must fall short of the reality in such a case. The thought of the sights I saw makes me still shudder as I recall them to mind. In the course of our business it fell to my lot to return alone by a certain route. The journey was one of twelve days’ fair or good travelling, and I had to walk all the way. I left my partners at a native village called Marico, about forty miles from Mondy, where I intended trading, and securing enough grain to last me until my arrival at the Zambesi River, which was five days’ journey from Mondy. So, after providing myself with the necessary beads and limbo, i.e. calico for trading, and procuring food, I proceeded from Marico to Mondy. But on making the requisite inquiry at Mondy, I found to my surprise and consternation that no grain could there be had to help me in the way I expected. The locusts had eaten it up, •so that I could at most secure only one small wooden bowlful (just •enough for one meal). All the way down from Mondy to the Zambesi River I discovered in several instances that the natives had been ■starving, and that many had died from this cause. On arriving at the native village, called Matagalli, it was very evident that the people were in great distress, for they subsisted for the means of living solely ■on roots and the bark of a certain tree. Out of the five days’ march from Mondy to the Zambesi River I had only three meals, wffiich con- sisted of boiled Kaffir corn. 40. Game of all kinds is very plentiful north of the Zambesi River; but, having run short of ammunition, I was unable to kill or procure •any game. Often on the march I had to delay an hour or two to enable the “ boys ” who were travelling with me to dig up roots to eat. 41. Then again I have seen the natives eat the locusts. They cook them by roasting them entire on the cinders obtainable from a fire of wood, and they eat all except the wings. On arriving at the Zambesi River, the difference there was notable—there the natives wrere more fortunate, for they had an abundance of fish, and a fair amount or supply of grain. I managed to secure enough grain to carry me on to N’Gwatie’s, where we had left our waggon on the outwrard journey, with ample provision for our return journey. At this place I met my partners, and there we exchanged accounts of our respective perils and ■experiences. They had in their tour observed the same distress amongst the natives, caused by the locusts, along the route in which my companions also travelled. 42. The Mashu Kalumbwe country possesses very beautiful scenery. Its large palm trees give great picturesqueness to it. It abounds in fine pasture, and there are numerous herds of cattle, especially north of the Kafue River. Some large droves of sheep and goats are to be found in the Betonga country, but very few cattle there. 43. Anything that could alleviate this vast extent of fine country from the plague of locusts would be a great benefaction, not only or merely, though very directly to the natives, but) also to the entire ■country—a gain to the world in its own way.—With my compliments and best wishes for the success of your aims and objects, I remain yours faithfully^ Don. S. Garvie.